Student Seminars (NSC 503)
Student Seminars (NSC 503)
2025–2026 Student Seminar Schedule
This course provides a forum where students deliver, at least once per year, an oral presentation related to their research. Both students and faculty members complete a short evaluation form for each talk, helping the presenter identify their strengths and areas for improvement. Students must attend a minimum of 80% of the presentations (3 or fewer absences per semester) each semester to receive a passing grade.
Spring semester seminar schedule
| Date | Student presenter(s) | Faculty evaluator(s) | Student moderator | Room | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| February 2 | Caleb Mahlen; Skylar DeWitt | Marissa Sobolewski; Ania Majewska | Staci Rocco | K307 (3-6408) | |
| February 9 | Alex Solorzano; Joanne Chiu | Krystel Huxlin; Greg DeAngelis | Sid Chittaranjan | K307 (3-6408) | |
| February 16 | Emma Bryson; Deborah Cory-Slechta | David McLean | Erica Squire | K307 (3-6408) | |
| February 23 | Yunshan Cai; Jean Setenet | Gail Johnson; Juliette McGreger | Amelia Hines | K307 (3-6408) | |
| March 2 | Wen Li; Alesandra Martin | Julie Fudge; Harris Gelbard | AJ (Aishwarya) Jayan | K307 (3-6408) | |
| March 16 | Pavel Rjabtsenko; Aa Guo | John Olschowka; Angela Hewitt | Aaron Huynh | K307 (3-6408) | |
| March 23 | Jiwon Choi; Jessica Fiser | Chris Holt; Jennetta Hammond | Niki Lam | K307 (3-6408) | |
| March 30 | Catrin Zharry; Johnathan Williams | Benjamin Suarez-Jimenez; Doug Portman | Nicole Popp | K307 (3-6408) | |
| April 6 | Jessia Ogu; Emma Susi | Souvarish Sarkar; Michael Telias | Stacey Pedraza | K307 (3-6408) | |
| April 13 | Tracy Preko; Adam Roszczyk | Jean Bidlack; Paul Geha | Tom Scudder | K307 (3-6408) | |
| April 20 | Tanmai Dhanireddy; Sabrina Mai | David Dodell-Feder; Coraline Rinn Iordan | Leah Sheppard | K307 (3-6408) | |
| April 24 | NS Retreat — Friday, April 24, 2026 | ||||
| May 6 (Wed) | DMN Lecture | Megan Herting | Faculty Hosts: Marissa Sobolewski | ||
NSC 503 Student Seminars
Jessica Fiser; Sabrina Mai - PhD Candidate
Faculty Evaluators: David Dodell-Feder & Coraline Rinn Iordan
Student Moderator: Leah Sheppard
Apr 20, 2026 @ 4:00 p.m.
Medical Center | K307 (3-6408)
NSC 503 Student Seminars
Emma Susi; Jessia Ogu - PhD Candidate
Faculty Evaluators: Souvarish Sarkar & Michael Telias
Student Seminars: Stacey Pedraza
Apr 06, 2026 @ 4:00 p.m.
Medical Center | K307 (3-6408)
NSC 503 Student Seminars
Catrin Zharry; Johnathan Williams - PhD Candidate
Faculty Evaluators: Benjamin Suarez-Jimenez & Doug Portman
Student Moderator: Nicole Popp
Mar 30, 2026 @ 4:00 p.m.
Medical Center | K307 (3-6408)
NSC 503 Student Seminars
Jiwon Choi; Tanmai Dhanireddy - PhD Candidate
Faculty Evaluators: Chris Holt & Jennetta Hammond
Student Moderator: Niki Lam
Mar 23, 2026 @ 4:00 p.m.
Medical Center | K307 (3-6408)
NSC 503 Student Seminars
Aa Guo; Pavel Rjabtsenko - PhD Candidate
Faculty Evaluators: John Olschowka & Angela Hewitt
Student Moderator: Aaron Huynh
Mar 16, 2026 @ 4:00 p.m.
Medical Center | K307 (3-6408)
“Signals controlling mosquito blood feeding and reproduction”
Laura Duvall, PhD - Assistant Professor, Department of Biological Science, Columbia University
Mar 11, 2026 @ 10:00 a.m.
Medical Center | K307 (3-6804)
Host: Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience Seminar Speaker Series
NSC 503 Student Seminars
Alesandra Martin; Wen Li - PhD Candidate
Faculty Evaluators: Julie Fudge & Harris Gelbard
Student Moderator: AJ (Aishwarya) Jayan
Mar 02, 2026 @ 4:00 p.m.
Medical Center | K307 (3-6408)
NSC 503 Student Seminars
Jean Setenet; Yunshan Cai - PhD Candidate
Faculty Evaluators: Gail Johnson & Juliette McGreger
Student Moderator: Amelia Hines
Feb 23, 2026 @ 4:00 p.m.
Medical Center | K307 (3-6408)
NSC 503 Student Seminars
Emma Bryson; Emma Strawderman - PhD Candidate
Faculty Evaluators: Paul Kammermeier & Deborah Cory-Slechta
Student Moderator: Erica Squire
Feb 16, 2026 @ 4:00 p.m.
Medical Center | K307 (3-6408)
Possibilities of quantitative in vivo neurochemical profiling in neuroscience research
Ivan Tkac, PhD - Assistant Professor of Radiology, Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, University of Minnesota
Localized proton (1H) MR spectroscopy (MRS) has made notable progress over the last 25 years by increasing the range of detectable brain metabolites in living organisms and by improving the precision and reliability of their quantification. The major advantage of MRS is the in vivo nature, which allows to monitor the progression of neurological diseases, as well as the response to treatments. In the beginning of my talk, I will outline the basic principles of the MRS technique, explain the benefits of ultra-high magnetic fields for in vivo neurochemical quantification and discuss the possibilities and challenges in wider research and clinical applications. In the second part, I will show examples of in vivo MRS applications in animal models (brain development, neurodegenerative diseases) and in humans (neurodegeneration, brain activation)
Feb 11, 2026 @ 10:00 a.m.
Medical Center | 2-7520
Host: Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience Seminar Speaker Series
NSC 503 Student Seminars
Alex Solorzano; Joanne Chiu - PhD Candidate
Faculty Evaluators: Krystel Huxlin & Greg DeAngelis
Student Moderator: Sid Chittaranjan
Feb 09, 2026 @ 4:00 p.m.
Medical Center | K307 (3-6408)
NSC 503 Student Seminars
Caleb Mahlen; Skylar DeWitt - PhD Candidate
Faculty Evaluators: Marissa Sobolewski & Ania Majewska
Student Moderator: Staci Rocco
Feb 02, 2026 @ 4:00 p.m.
Medical Center | K307 (3-6408)
CANCELLED DUE TO WEATHER --NSC 503 Student Seminars
Adam Roszczyk; Tracey Preko - PhD Candidate
Titles: Preko - "Chemogenetic Manipulation of the Medial Prefrontal Cortex (mPFC)"
Roszczyk - "Astrocytes Sense and Respond to Acute Insulin Resistance"
Faculty Evaluators: Jean Bidlack & Paul Geha
Student Moderator: Tom Scudder
Jan 26, 2026 @ 4:00 p.m.
Medical Center | K307 (3-6408)
Zoom Link